PORTSMOUTH — While their neighbors to the north were getting blanketed by snow on Thursday, residents on the Seacoast saw rain and sleet for much of the day.

The storm brought wet weather and strong winds in the morning and early afternoon, but residents in Portsmouth and surrounding communities were spared from inches of snowfall.

AccuWeather Meteorologist Mark Paquette said the lingering warmth of the Atlantic Ocean is responsible for the lack of snowfall in the southern Seacoast region.

“It should be all snow for Portsmouth, but they get this persistent wind off the water with just enough marine air to be warm enough for rain instead of snow,” Paquette said. “But just inland, it is cold enough for snow. We see this trend in New England all the time. It is classic.”

The temperature was hovering at about 34 degrees in Portsmouth shortly after noon, as rain and sleet doused the area. The precipitation changed into snow later in the day as temperatures dropped, but the total accumulation was low, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Chris Kimble.

Portsmouth police reported residents had few problems maneuvering the roads as of noon Thursday.

In Hampton, the noon high tide sent water spilling onto some coastal roads, including Ocean Boulevard. Aside from localized flooding, Hampton residents experienced few storm-related problems, according to a dispatcher at the Police Department.

“We’re all rain, so it’s just the typical coastal flooding,” she said.

Rye police asked residents to exercise “extreme caution” while traveling along the boulevard. The tide washed away some shale piles near of the road, leaving behind debris.

“There are several sections under water at this time,” a police representative wrote on the Rye Police Department’s Facebook page. “Take your time and do not travel out there if you do not have to!”